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Crash of a Cessna Crane I near Blaine Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1941 at 0930 LT
Operator:
Registration:
7681
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saskatoon - Saskatoon
MSN:
1124
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
55
Captain / Total hours on type:
24.00
Circumstances:
The crew departed Saskatoon in the morning for a training exercise. The pilot apparently encountered weather conditions of low ceiling and very limited visibility due to clouds and fog over high ground. In attempting to continue his cross-country flight he struck the top of a hill. The aircraft exploded and burned when it struck the ground, some 25 km northwest of Blaine Lake. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
LAC Ronald George Measor, pilot,
LAC William Stevens Morris, pilot.
Probable cause:
The pilot was low flying because of weather conditions and struck a hill at high speed. Controlled flight into terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina off Stranrear: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AH556
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The floatplane was en route from Stranrear, Scotland, to Canada. Shortly after departure, in unknown circumstances, the airplane stalled and crashed in the Stranrear's Bay. Two crew members were seriously injured and five others were killed.
Crew:
F/O Alfred Lawrence Fowler, pilot, †
F/O Maurice Arthur Frank Hirst, pilot, †
Sgt Patrick John Nelson Coady, wireless operator, †
AC1 Peter Quinlan O'Brien, †
Ens D. A. Eldred, †
AC1 D. Muir,
Sgt R. B. H. Scroggs.

Crash of a Cessna Crane I in Saskatoon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1941 at 1515 LT
Operator:
Registration:
7700
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saskatoon - Saskatoon
MSN:
1143
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
82
Captain / Total hours on type:
23.00
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Saskatoon Airport on a local solo training flight. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled, spun into ground and burned. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
LAC Henry Orville Richardson, pilot.
Probable cause:
Error of judgment on the part of the pilot. The pilot of the aircraft committed an error in judgment in that he attempted to turn the aircraft when flying at insufficient airspeed, and that he could have made a landing in the surrounding fields without attempting a turn back to the aerodrome.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson on Mt McDougall: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1941 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6568
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Calgary - Calgary
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Calgary Airport on a training exercise. The pilot became trapped in a dead end canyon during an unauthorized low flying, causing the airplane to impact trees while attempting to turn around at west end of Canyon, on Mt McDougall. The starboard horizontal stabilizer was torn off and the airplane crashed on the slope of the mountain, some 71 km west-southwest of Calgary. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Ian MacDonell Sutherland Brown, †
LAC Frederick William Greenfield, †
LAC A. M. R. McGruther.
Probable cause:
Unauthorized low flying on part of the pilot.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas Digby I in Gander: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941 at 0040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
742
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gander - Gander
MSN:
1634
YOM:
1936
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
630
Captain / Total hours on type:
300.00
Circumstances:
At 1856 GMT on 24 July 1941, RCAF Douglas Digby 742 left Gander with a crew of six for the purpose of convoy patrols. At 2320 GMT the weather began to deteriorate and the Meteorological Office predicted that the ceiling would remain at about 1500 feet with showers. At 2326 GMT the aircraft was recalled, but Digby 742 did not immediately respond. The recall notice was repeated four times by Gander Station and twice by RCAF Station, Sydney. The recall was acknowledged at 0030 GMT and at 0151 GMT the aircraft was in range of the Gander airbase. Digby 742 was spotted by Airport Control, but the aircraft reported that it could not see the airport. By this time, the ceiling had deteriorated to 200 feet with rain and increased wind and the cloud had begun to blow across the runway. When Digby 742 arrived, RCAF Digby 756 was attempting to land at Gander and Digby 742 was instructed to circle until Digby 756 had landed. Digby 756 landed safely at 0219 GMT but for approximately the next twenty minutes, Digby 742 was out of communication range. Captain Tomsett was instructed to proceed to Dartmouth where the weather conditions were more favourable but the Captain stated that he would attempt to land at Gander one final time and would proceed to Dartmouth if that landing was unsuccessful. At 0310 GMT a loud explosion was heard and there was no further communication with the aircraft. At 0330 GMT, the ceiling began to steadily rise becoming 1400 feet by 0530 GMT.
Crew:
F/Lt Martin Edward Tomsett, pilot,
P/O William Hume Mather, pilot,
P/O Allan Gower Pratt, navigator,
Cpl Thomas James Larmour Crawford, wireless operator,
Sgt Mervyn Samuel Hunt, air gunner,
Sgt Ronald Laird McDavid, air gunner.
Source & photo:
http://www.planecrashgirl.ca/2016/02/19/rcaf-digby-742/
Probable cause:
Although weather conditions had deteriorated, at this time there were no regulations for minimum ceiling. The conditions that were present at the time of the crash were poor and landing should only have been attempted by an experience pilot. As a result of this crash, recommendations were made to the RCAF to put in place regulations for landing in poor conditions based on the time of day (day or night flying) and the experience of the pilot; an experienced pilot is considered to have completed at least 300 hours of flying on that specific type of aircraft. The determination that weather conditions are poor would be based on the ceiling level and at the discretion of the Aerodrome Control Officer.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna Crane I near Saskatoon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1941 at 0215 LT
Operator:
Registration:
7709
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saskatoon - Saskatoon
MSN:
1152
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was conducting a night training exercise at Saskatoon Airport. The aircraft burst into flames as the pilot circled to land after making frantic signals with identification lights as though in trouble. At about 500 feet, the aircraft caught on fire and dived straight into the ground. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
LAC George Edward Baker, pilot.
Probable cause:
The airplane caught fire in flight for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna Crane near Shellbrook: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1941 at 2200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
7664
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saskatoon - Prince Albert
MSN:
1107
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Saskatoon to Prince Albert, while flying normally between 5,000 and 6,000 feet without any apparent attempt at recovery, the twin engine airplane dove straight to the ground and crashed 10 km south of Shellbrook. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Frederick Byron Ray, instructor,
LAC Jack Kugelmass, pilot.
Probable cause:
Structural failure in the air due to excessive strain. It is not known whether or not the strain was put on the aircraft intentionally.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas Digby I off Cape Race

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1941 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
752
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dartmouth - Dartmouth
MSN:
1644
YOM:
1936
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Dartmouth on a convoy patrol mission. Due to bad weather conditions and unable to obtain position by wireless, the pilot ditched the airplane off Cape Race. About 10 days later, on early July, the crew was rescued by a schooner. The aircraft was equipped with flotation cells in the wings and did not sink. It was later towed ashore but was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/Lt Ashman, pilot,
F/O Horne, copilot,
Cpl H. W. Stewart, navigator,
AC1 L. W. J. Hanley, navigator,
AC1 I. S. G. Mackie, navigator.
Probable cause:
Precautionary landing at sea due to lack of gas and bad weather.
Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke IV off Sable Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1941 at 1230 LT
Operator:
Registration:
9007
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sydney - Sydney
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
909
Captain / Total hours on type:
120.00
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sydney Airport on a convoy patrol mission and later crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean off Sable Island. No trace of the crew or the airplane was ever found.
Crew:
S/L Richard Brock Wylie, pilot,
P/O Frederick James Parker, navigator,
Sgt Leonard Joseph Reynold Chabot, wireless operator,
AC1 Floyd Joseph Tibbett, navigator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Sable Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1941 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
782
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dartmouth - Dartmouth
MSN:
414-1785
YOM:
1940
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
633
Captain / Total hours on type:
572.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
707
Copilot / Total hours on type:
532
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Dartmouth Airport on a SAR operation after an RCAF Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke was missing in the area of Sable Island. While flying in poor visibility, the airplane struck a wireless mast on Sable Island and crashed into the sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Gerald Barclay Snow, pilot,
F/O Ivan Lloyd George Gillis, navigator,
F/Lt Frederick Judson Bell, navigator,
Cpl Douglas Earl Craig, wireless operator,
AC1 Gordon Allen Dilworth, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Low flying in heavy fog and error in altimeter due to lower atmospheric pressure at Sable Island than at Dartmouth.
Final Report: